By Mike Finney

DOVER — Everything appeared to be in place for a spectacular NASCAR race day at the Duramax Drydene 400 at Dover Motor Speedway on Sunday afternoon.

Then the rain showers came and the race – with 78 laps completed – was postponed and rescheduled to resume at noon Monday (FS1). The garage will open at 9:30 a.m.

The atmosphere was dampened after the largest crowd in several years filled the grandstands, many arriving to their seats after enjoying a festival-like environment outside the track, with Cup Series drivers anxious to see how their Next Gen race cars would perform on Dover’s highly banked, one-mile concrete oval.

Chris Buescher, who earned his first career pole position at the Monster Mile on Saturday, led the first 18 laps of the scheduled 400-lap event before veteran Denny Hamlin rocketed into the lead on lap 19 and began to flex his muscle.

With everything shaping up to be a memorable 400-lap battle with the possibility of many drivers contending for the win, light rain showers brought out the caution flag on lap 69.

Hamlin pitted under the caution period on lap 75, handing the lead to Kyle Larson, who chose to remain on the racetrack along with Chase Elliott, Ryan Blaney, Martin Truex Jr., Christopher Bell, Aric Almirola and William Byron.

Then, while working lap 79 at 3:58 p.m. still under caution, the rain increased in intensity and the drivers were summoned to pit road due to the wet conditions with Larson at the front of the field.

The rain put a damper on what looked like was going to be an extraordinary day.

For the Duramax Drydene 400 to be classified as an official race, it had to reach either the end of the second stage or the halfway mark, whichever comes soonest.

With stage two ending after lap 250, that meant that the race would become official after the halfway mark at lap 200.

The postponement marked the first time in the 2022 season that NASCAR made the decision to postpone a Cup Series race as a result of inclement weather.

The postponement means that two of the last three spring races at Dover have been pushed back to Monday due to rain, and three of the last four spring races at the track have been postponed.

Still, Larson likes the view from the front, where he will restart today with 322 laps remaining. He will be followed by Elliott, Blaney, Martin Truex Jr. and William Byron to the green flag.

“It’s good,” Larson said. “My HendrickCars.com Chevy feels balanced. It’s a little on the tight side, but we’re just a couple of adjustments away from being really good.”

Larson actually traveled to Bristol, Tennessee, Saturday night to compete in a World of Outlaws sprint car race, so it’s been a busy weekend — but that’s normal for him.

“I’ve been jumping into different cars every other week it seems like since 2011 and you kind of get used to it after a while and you don’t really have to think about it too much,” he said.

“It helps too when your car is driving good and, thankfully, I’m in good equipment in everything I run, so that helps you get up to speed quickly and not have to think too hard and try too hard.”

Hamlin was stout in the race’s early stages, leading 55 of the first 79 laps. He was running eighth when the race was stopped.

“This team’s super good,” said Hamlin. “I love what my crew chief (Chris Gabehart) said (Sunday) morning that we’re the snake in the grass that’s got the most venom. I really do believe that, and we can win the next three in a row and it wouldn’t surprise me.”

Bowman entered Sunday’s race as the defending winner at Dover. He started from the sixth position and was running fifth when the cars were stopped.

“I think we’re OK,” Bowman said. “Track position is key and we’re a little buried right now, but I think if we can get up front, we have a good race car. Obviously, (Larson) and (Hamlin) are really stout.

“But I like this place, it’s a lot of fun.”

Hopefully, it will also be dry today.